Game



June 20, 1939. v w K. YoUNGBl-:RG 2,163,456

GAME

Filed Sept. 29, 1937 Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES ETENT QFFME GAME Walter K. Youngberg, Meriden, Conn.

Application September Z9, 1937, Serial No. 166,305

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-95) My invention relates to games. contacts the far side of the playing portion of It has among its objects to provide an imthe board from the player, the left hand player proved game of the type adapted to be played for example serving on to the space il, While the with a ball and paddles, racquets or the like. A right hand player served on to the space 3. Therefurther object of my invention is to provide an after, in play, each player must return the ball improved and simplied game adapted to be so that it contacts some part of the at top played upon the floor o-r ground in any open surface of the board in the process of being respace and indoors or outdoors, adapted to be turned to the other player, all in such manner as played with a ball and paddles or racquets While during the resultant rallying to produce an exutilizing a cooperating playing surface substanceedingly fast and interesting game and one l0 tially on the level of the floor or ground and enabling the more skillful and active player to against which the ball must strike in play in such prevail. As to scoring, when the player serves manner as to produce a very interesting and on to the wrong portion of the board or strikes exciting game. These and other objects and adone of the transverse edges 3 and 4' of the vantages of my improvements will, however, hereboard in such manner as to be deected out of 15 inafter more fully appear. play by the edge, this counts as a point against In the accompanying drawing, I have shown the server, while if either player fails to return for purposes of ilustration three embodiments the ball into contact with some portion of the which my invention may assume in practice. ilat top surface of the board I or also causes the In the drawingball to strike an edge, this also counts as a point 20 Figure l is a perspective View showing the eleagainst that player. ments of the game in play; In Figures 4 and 5, I have shown a modified Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the playing board; construction wherein while utilizing a board such Fig. 3 is a topplan View of the latter; as previously described, I also provide low nets Figfl is a top plan view of a modied construc- 5 along each edge of the board adjacent the 25 tion of playing board; players. Here note that these nets serve to make Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown more accurate serving necessary and further act in Figure 4, and to minimize questionable edge shots. Also, of Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a course, the inner surfaces of these nets engaging further modied construction. the ball and causing the loss of a point to the 30 In my improved game, I provide an improved player, require that the player in his return playing board, generally indicated at I, and comshots play the ball in such a manner as to clear DfSil-lg a flat bOald adapted to be placed upon the net after he strikes the ball. In practice, the floor, carpet, or ground, in any convenient the nets also tend somewhat to coni-lne the ball location, and having its playing surface disposed and minimize its escape from the general area of 35 close to the supporting level. the board, thus further speeding up the game. Herein, the board is divided longitudinally into While the nets 5 ordinarily are of light fabric, hall/GS by a dVdflg lille 2. suitably printed 0T stretched between suitable supports 6, and I prepainted thereon, and serving to divide the board fer such a construction, it will also be understood into playing portions 3 and 4 opposite the playthat, if desired, I may provide other forms of nets 40 ers. Further note that this board is herein, as and also thatI may use other upwardly extending in a preferred construction, formed of a pluralprojections on the edges of the board adjacent ity of connected layers of ply wood in such manthe players, as, for example, upstanding members ner as to provide both a fast playing surface 1 formed of wood, rubber or the like, shown in from which a sufficiently live ball will rebound Fig. 7. 45

with substantial speed, and such a surface which While the ball and paddles may obviously asis both uniformly flat and adapted to be free sume different forms, in a preferred form of my from warping or the like. In a preferred coninvention, the ball 8 is a moderately light but struction, the board is also quite thin, preferably resilient rubber ball, as for example, a ball of less than one-half of an inch in thickness in ordinary or sponge rubber, solid or hollow as 50 such manner as to enable it to cooperate efecdesired, while the paddles 9 may be entirely of tively with the support in precluding the possiplain Wood or ply wood, or faced with other mability of balls being played under the same. terials as desired, or even in the form of racquets In the use of my improved board, the players if preferred. Also, the size of the board may are so disposed as to serve the ball so that it be varied, but the same is preferably relatively 5s small and of a size which requires substantial accuracy in playing While being readily handled, a board approximately two feet square being found to be very satisfactory.

While I have in this application specifically described three forms which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are chosen for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modied and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game adapted to be played with a ball and paddles or the like for keeping the ball in play, a board enga-geable by a ball during play and disposable substantially in the plane of the feet of the players having an unobstructed plane playing area on its upper surface, means substantially in the plane of the upper board surface for dividing the latter transversely into a pair of plane service courts each extending throughout the Width of the board, and also having parallel marginal means along the full length of the opposite sides of the board toward the players disposed below the path of a. normally served or returned ball for deecting the ball out of play, said marginal means comprising low barriers projecting upwardly from said sides of the board.

2. In a game adapted to be played with a ball and paddles o-r the like for keeping the ball in play, a board engageable by a ball during play and disposable substantially in the plane of the feet of the players having an unobstructed plane playing area on its upper surface, means substantially in the plane of the upper board surface for dividing the latter transversely into a pair of plane service courts each extending throughout the width of the board, and also having parallel marginal means along the full length of the opposite sides of the board toward the players disposed below the path of a normally served or returned ball for deflecting the ball out of play, said marginal means comprising low nets projecting upwardly from said sides of the board.

WALTER K. YOUNGBERG. 

